April 14 Saint Bénéze

Patron Saint of Bridge Builders

A shepherd in the fields of France, during an eclipse he received a vision telling him to build a bridge over the Rhone at Avignon; In his vision, he was told angels would watch his flocks while he was gone. He was also commanded to build the bridge at a point where the force of the Rhône was so great that it had discouraged even Roman engineers in antiquity. When the church and civil officials refused to help him, he lifted a huge stone into place, and announced it would be the start of the foundation.

According to the legend, there were shouts of “Miracle! Miracle!” when Bénézet had laid the first stone. Eighteen miracles occurred in total: the blind had their vision restored, the deaf could hear again, cripples could walk; and hunchbacks had their backs straightened.

Bénézet thus won support for his project from wealthy sponsors who formed themselves into a Bridge Brotherhood to fund its construction.

After his death, Bénézet was interred on the bridge itself, in a small chapel standing on one of the bridge’s surviving piers on the Avignon side. His relics were enshrined there until 1669, when a flood washed away part of the bridge. His coffin, recovered, was opened and the body of Bénézet was found to be incorrupt. His relics were eventually placed in the Celestine church of Saint Didier. The remains of the bridge still remain a pilgrimage site.

March 17 Saint Gertrude of Nivelles

Today’s Word of the Day: suriphoics – People who are afraid of mice.

St. Gertrude had the usual start for women religious in the 600s – an early call to vowed life, turn down the arranged marriage, enter the convent, serve faithfulyl through prayers and work until death. She did have a special devotion to those souls in purgatory. In the 600s, mice represented the souls of dead. A strong following developed after her death that spread throughout Europe. People would leave likenesses of mice – made of silver, gold or clay – at church alters as prayers for intercession on their loved ones behalf. The tradition continued in Europe until the 1800s.

St. Gertrude is the Patron Saint of Those Afraid of Mice. She also Patron Saint of Gardeners as  her feast falls during the that indecisive planting time.

March 12 Saint Peter of Nicomedia

As I have been reading the hundreds of saints these past months, I have become immune to various ways people were martyred. Killed with arrows, burned at the stake. The English had a law that they must be disemboweled after being hanged. Then changed the law to drawn and quartered. But every once in a awhile one surprises me.

St. Peter was a palace official during the last wave of persecutions of Diocletian in the early 300s in what is now modern day Turkey. When he was outed as a Christian, he received the usual punishment of death. First they tore away chunks of skin down to the bone. Then they sprinkled the wounds with salt and vinegar. Then he was (and history is specific about this) slow roasted over a low fire until done (um, dead). I wonder if they had fava beans and Chianti afterwards.